Paper carriage mounting arrangement



May 20, 1969 TEICHMANN ET AL 3,444,978

PAPER CARRIAGE MOUNTING ARRANGEMENT Filed Dec. 5, 1966 sheet or 2 FIG.

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PAPER CARRIAGE MOUNTING ARRANGEMENT I I Filed Dec. 5, 1966 Sheet ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,444,978 PAPER CARRIAGE MOUNTING ARRANGEMENT Friedrich Teichmann, Feucht, Germany, and Roscoe L. Jones and Edwin R. Hopkins, Lakeland, Fla., assignors to Max Grundig, Furth, Bavaria, Germany Filed Dec. 5, 1966, Ser. No. 599,050 Claims priority, application Germany, Dec. 4, 1965,

Int. c1. B41j 11/20, 19/00 11.5. Cl. 197-149 9 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The present invention relates to a paper carriage mounting arrangement for a typewriter or like business machine, and more particularly, to an arrangement for adjusting the position of the platen relative to the printing types so that paper stacks containing different numbers of sheets and carbon papers can be properly mounted on the platen.

A single sheet may be used and imprinted on a typewriter, whereas under other circumstances when a great number of copies is required, a thick stack of paper sheets and carbon papers may be required. In the first case, the distance between the platen and the printing position of the types should be smaller than in the second case to assure that the single sheet as well as the first sheet of the stack are engaged by the printing types when the same have moved to the position in which the best imprint is produced. Furthermore, typewriters have stationary elements in the printing area confining the first sheet on the platen, and if the stack is thick, insufiicient space is available between such elements and the platen surface unless the position of the platen is adjusted.

In accordance with the prior art, the platen is mounted on the carriage for adjustment toward and away from the printing area. Considerable manual force is required for adjusting long and heavy platens, and the mechanism requires a great number of parts including connecting linkages extending over the entire length of the platen and carriage.

Another disadvantage of the known arrangements for adjusting the platen is that the platen has to be guided at the ends thereof which may cause jamming of the platen if the same is slightly slanted.

It is one object of the invention to overcome the disadvantages of known arrangements for adjusting the position of the platen of a paper carriage in accordance with the thickness of a stack of sheets on the platen, and to adjust the position of the platen together with the carriage on which it is mounted.

Another object of the invention is to adjust the position of the guide means on which the carriage with the platen is movably mounted so that the carriage with the platen is moved toward and away from the printing area and spaced from the same a distance depending on the number of sheets of a stack mounted on the platen.

Another object of the invention is to mount the guide means on which the carriage with the platen is mounted for writing and return movement in such a manner on supporting means that the guide means, carriage, and platen can be angularly displaced between different posi- 3,444,978 Patented May 20, 1969 tions in which any portion of the platen passing the printing area during movement of the carriage is spaced a constant, but adjustable distance from the printing area and the printing types when the same assume the printing position.

Another object of the invention is to obtain an adjustment of the platen for the above-explained purpose by a very simple mechanism consisting of few parts which can be easily assembled and are inexpensively manufactured.

Another object of the invention is to obtain the adjustment of the platen in such a manner that only a small manual force is required for overcoming frictional resistance.

Another object of the invention is to mount the rails on which the carriage and the platen are supported for writing and return movement, for angular movement on a pivot so that jamming due to uneven adjustment of the ends of the platen is avoided.

With these objects in view, the present invention relates to an arrangement for mounting the paper carriage of a typewriter or like business machine in such a manner that the distance between the platen and the printing area defined by printing types in printing position can be adjusted.

One embodiment of the invention comprises guide means, preferably having rails along which a paper carriage moves together with a platen in a writing direction; printing means mounted on supporting means for movement to and from a printing position located opposite the platen in a printing area which may be defined by the conventional paper fingers; mounting means for mounting the guide means on the supporting means for movement with the carriage and platen toward and away from the printing means and paper fingers between a plurality of positions in which the platen is spaced different distances from the printing means in the printing position; and operating means for placing the guide means with the carriage and the platen in a selected position depending on the number of sheets of a stack disposed on the platen. In this manner, the position of the platen is adjusted so that the first sheet of the stack is engaged by the printing means, for example by a type, in the printing position irrespective of the number of sheets in the stack. During movement of the carriage with the platen along the rails of the guide means, any portion of the platen moving through the printing area is always spaced the same distance from a printing type in the operative position.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the mounting means includes pivot means on which the guide means with the rails is mounted. In this manner, the position of the guide means and the rails is angularly adjusted and the carriage moves with the platen in different angularly spaced directions depending on the selected angular positions of the rails. Since the pivot means is spaced from the printing area, angular adjustment of the guide means will result in moving any platen portion located opposite the printing area toward and away from a printing type in the printing position.

Although the carriage with the platen moves along different angularly spaced paths defined by the different adjusted positions of the guide rails for the carriage, once the distance between the platen and the printing type is adjusted and selected in accordance with the thickness of the use stack of papers on the platen, any portion of the platen passing through the printing areas is spaced the same distance from the printing type.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention, an eccentric manually operated cam is provided for angularly displacing the guide means with the rails about the pivot means on which the guide means is mounted for angular movement.

It is advantageous to form the cam as a circular eccentric member integral with a manually operated knob projecting from the paper carriage. Arresting means are provided for defining dilferent angular positions of the manually operated knob, corresponding to different angular positions of the guide means, and consequently to different positions of the platen suitable for stacks of different thickness. Indicia on the manually operated knob indicate to the operator the adjusted position and if desired the number of paper sheets in the stack.

The novel features which are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following detailed description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary schematic view illustrating an arrangement according to the invention in an initial position;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary schematic view illustrating the arrangement of FIG. 1 in an adjusted position for use with a paper stack of maximum thickness;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary bottom view, partially in section along line IIIIII in FIG. 4 and illustrating a preferred embodiment of the invention; and

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary elevation partially in section along line 1VIV in FIG. 3.

Referring now to the drawing, the illustrated structure is part of a typewriter, or of any other business machine comprising a paper carriage 6 moving along guide means 2, 3 together with a platen 7 past a printing area 8 in which printing means 8a, 8c are effective. In the schematic views of FIGS. 1 and 2, only a single type bar 8a having a type 8c, is shown in an operative printing position located in a slot formed by a locating guide 8b in the region of paper fingers, not shown. Any type 80 can be placed in the printing position shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 and, will have its optimal impact in the printing area 8.

Referring now to FIGS. 3 and 4, the supporting housing 1 carries guide means 2, 3 for the carriage 6 including a machine bed 2 having rails 3 on which a paper carriage 6 is mounted by means of balls in open pockets 4a in elongated supports 4 for movement in a writing direction, and in an opposite return direction. The lateral walls of carriage 6 support the conventional rubber platen 7 for turning movement by means of manually operated knobs 7a. The carriage 6 also supports pressure rollers, not shown, cooperating with platen 7, to transport a stack of paper sheets when platen 7 is turned.

While in the constructions of the prior art the machine bed 2 with rails 3 is fixedly secured to the supporting housing structure 1, means A are provided in accordance With the invention for mounting the guide means 2, 3 of carriage 6 for angular movement about a pivot 10 in the region I, see FIG. 4, between the initial position shown in FIG. 1 and the angular displaced position shown in FIG. 2.

The machine bed 2 is movably connected by means B with the supporting housing structure 1 in the region 11, so that the machine bed 2 can be angularly displaced.

Carrier plates and 22 are adjustably secured to the bottom face of the machine bed 2. Carrier plate 15 has two slots 16 through which screws 17 pass into threaded bores in machine bed 2. Consequently, carrier plate 15 can be adjusted by loosening screws 17, displacing the carrier plate 15 and again tightening screws 17. Carrier plate 22 can be adjusted in the same manner and has slots 16a cooperating with screws 17a for this purpose. Once carrier plates 15 and 22 are adjusted they are fixed to the machine bed 2, and move with the same as if they were integral parts of the same.

Two threaded means A and B are secured to the top wall of the supporting housing structure 1. The threaded means B and A are placed in the regions II and I, respectively, and include a lower part 12 and 9, respectively, having a spherical seat 12a and 9a, respectively, and upper part 13 and 10, respectively, having a spherical head 13a and 10a respectively, mounted on the respective seat, and a connecting screw 14 and 11, passing through the tubular parts 13 and 10, respectively, and being threadedly connected with the lower parts 12 and 9, respectively.

The portion 10 constitutes a pivot for machine bed 2 and passes through a corresponding bearing bore 1% in carrier member 15. Since the latter is fixed in an adjusted position to the machine bed 2, the machine bed 2 together with rails 3, carriage 6 and platen 7 can be turned about pivot means 10 between the positions shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 in a substantially horizontal plane.

The upper portion 13 of the other threaded means B projects through a large opening 22a in carrier member 22 and into corresponding large opening 2a in machine bed 2, as shown in FIG. 4, so that angular displacement of the machine bed 2 is possible.

A forked member 18 is secured by threaded means 14, 13, 12 to the supporting housing structure 1, and forms a slot 20 in which an eccentric circular cam 25 is located. A manually operable knob 24 is integral with the circular eccentric member 25, and is mounted with the same for turning movement on a pivot pin 23 which is threaded into a bore 23a in carrier plate 22. Knob 24 projects out of a slot 2b in the machine bed 2 so that a segment shaped portion of the knurled rim of knob 24 is accessible to an operator. The top surface of knob 24 has indicia 26 indicating the angular positions of knob 24 with circular eccentric member 25.

A leaf spring 29 is secured by screws 29a to the forked member 18, and holds an arresting ball 28 in a position located in the region of a circular series of arresting recesses 27 in the bottom face of knob 24. Consequently, in each angular dispaced position of knob 24 indicated by the indicia 26, the knob 24 will be arrested by ball 28, but turning of knob 24 between successive angular positions is possible since the surface of the recesses 27 is slanted to press arresting ball 28 out of the respective engaged recess 27 against the action of spring 29 when the knob 24 is turned.

Carrier plates 15 and 22 are first adjusted by means of screws 17 and 17a. Assuming that knob 24 is set to the angular position indicated by the uppermost indicia 26, and is arrested in this position by ball 28, the eccentric member 25 will be turned 90 degrees out of the position of FIG. 3, in counterclockwise direction. During such turning movement, eccentric member 25 will exert a force on forked member 18, but since the same is rigidly connected with the supporting housing structure 1 by the threaded means B, the force will be transmitted by the pivot pin 23 to the carrier plate 22 and displaced the same upwardly as viewed in FIG. 3, corresponding to a forward movement of this end of the machine bed 2, to the position shown in FIG. 1. During such movement, screws 21 which are threadedly secured to carrier plate 22, move in slots 19 of forked member 18.

Since the machine bed 2 turns about pivot means 10, screws 21 move along circular paths and screws 21 have sufiicient play in slots 19 to permit the non-linear movement of screws 21.

The above described adjustment of the unit including machine bed 2, rails 3, carriage 6, and platen 7, has placed the device in the position shown in FIG. 1 which corresponds to the positions of the rails 3 and carriage 6 in a standard typewriter. In this position, the surface of platen 7 is spaced from a type in the printing position, a predetermined distance suflicient for the insertion of a thin stack of paper sheets or of a single sheet which will be imprinted with the proper impact force by the type 80.

When knob 24 is turned by the operator in clockwise direction first to the intermediate position shown in FIG. 3 and then another 90 degrees to the position indicated by indicia VII, pivot pin 23 is turned to a position in which carrier plate 22 with machine bed 2, rails 3, carriage 6 and platen 7 are displaced to the position shown in FIG. 2.

In this position, the surface portion of platen 7 located opposite a type 80 in the printing area 8, as spaced from the same a greater distance than in the position of FIG. 1 permitting the insertion of a thicker stack of paper sheets.

The displacement of the machine bed 2, has caused the rail 3 to assume a different angular position but the carriage 6 with platen 7 moves in axial direction of the platen 7, and consequently the distance between the type 80 in the printing position, and any surface portion of the platen 7 moving through the printing area 8 remains the same so that the full impact of the type 80 will act on the top sheet of the stack in the position of FIG. 1, as well as in the position of FIG. 2 in all longitudinally displaced positions of the platen 7 and carriage 6.

While the cylindrical surface of platen 7 is parallel to the type face of type 80 in the position of FIG. 1, it is slanted to the type face in the position of FIG. 2. However, due to the great distance between the printing area 8 and the pivot 10 in region I, the difference between the distances of the left and right edges of the type face from the platen surface is so small, that the imprints made in the positions of FIGS. 1 and 2 are not distinguishable.

The divided construction of the threaded means 12, 13, 14 and 9, 10, 11 facilitates the assembly of the machine bed 2 with carrier plates 15 and 22, and of the operating means 23, 24 on the supporting housing 1.

Due to the fact that the adjustment of the unit 2, 3, 6, 7 for stacks having different numbers of paper sheets is carried out angularly displacing the unit about pivot 10 turning in bore 10b of carrier member 15, very little friction is encountered during the adjustment and a very small manual force is sufiicient for turning the adjusting knob 24.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. Paper carriage mounting arrangement comprising, in combination, elongated guide means; carriage means mounted on said guide means for movement along the same; a platen mounted on said carriage means; supporting means; printing means mounted on said supporting means for movement to and from a printing position located opposite said platen; mounting means including pivot means spaced from said printing means along said guide means and said platen for mounting said guide means on said supporting means for angular movement with said carriage means and said platen about a pivot axis transverse to the longitudinal direction of said guide means between a plurality of angularly displaced positions in which the portion of said platen located opposite said printing means is spaced different distances from said printing means in said printing position; and operating means spaced from said pivot means for placing said guide means with said carriage means and said platen in a selected position of said plurality of positions depending on the number of sheets of a stack disposed on said platen so that the first sheet of the stack is engaged by said printing means in said printing position irrespective of the number of sheets in the stack.

2. The arrangement defined in claim 1 wherein said operating means include manually rotated cam means mounted on said supporting means for rotation; and

wherein said guide means is operatively connected with said cam means and controlled by the same to move between said plurality of positions.

3-. The arrangement defined in claim 2 wherein said operating means include a manually operated circular knob, wherein said cam means is an eccentric circular member secured to said knob for rotation with the same about a common axis, and wherein said supporting means includes a stationary forked member embracing said eccentric circular member; and including a pivot pin supporting said knob and said eccentric member for rotation and being secured to said guide means spaced from said pivot means so that said guide means is angularly displaced about said pivot means when said knob is manually rotated.

4. The arrangement defined in claim 3 wherein said circular knob has a plurality of angularly spaced arresting recesses; and comprising arresting means secured to said supporting means and engaging one of said arresting recesses for arresting said circular knob in angular positions in which said pivot pin and said forked member place said guide means with said carriage means and said platen in said plurality of positions, respectively, of the same.

5. The arrangement defined in claim 4 wherein said arresting means includes spring means secured to said supporting means, and ball means supported by said spring means and urged by the same to engage said arresting recesses.

6. The arrangement defined in claim 1 and wherein said mounting means include carrier means adjustably mounted on said guide means, means for securing said carrier means in adjusted positions, and a threaded means connecting said supporting means with said carrier means, and including a first member having a spherical head and a second member having a spherical seat receiving said spherical head.

7. The arrangement defined in claim 6 wherein said threaded means includes a pivot portion forming said pivot means.

8. The arrangement of claim 7 wherein said carrier means include two carrier plates spaced from each other along said guide means and adjustably mounted on the same; and including two of said threaded means, one of said threaded means including said pivot portion which is turnably connected with one of said carrier plates; and wherein said operating means. includes an eccentric memher, and a forked member embracing said eccentric member and secured to the other threaded means; and a pivot pin secured to the other carrier plate and turnably supporting said eccentric member.

-9. The arrangement defined in claim 1 wherein said guide means include a machine bed mounted on said supporting means, and rail means secured to said machine bed and supporting said carriage means with said platen for movement in a writing direction and for return movement.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 856,377 6/1907 Volker 197-149 2,062,236 11/1936 Schuler 197-149 2,986,259 5/1961 Salzberger 197-449 3,123,194 3/ 1964 Facius et al. 197-60 ERNEST T. WRIGHT, IR., Primary Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R. 197-60 

